Jane Gunn

Listed as a Global Leader in Who’s Who Mediation and featured in Legal 500 Hall of Fame for 2022, Jane Gunn is a former city solicitor, now a full-time mediator with over 25 years’ experience of mediating commercial cases.

She has mediated hundreds of disputes and is frequently chosen for her extensive mediation experience as well as her ability to handle complex and emotive cases. Jane was accredited as a commercial mediator in 1996 (CEDR).

She is a Mediator Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators, a CMC registered mediator and an IMI (The International Mediation Institute) Certified International Mediator. She is the immediate Past President of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators.

“We have worked with Jane to resolve conflicts that looked to most stakeholders and observers as irreconcilable. What amazes me is the calm and composed way she deals with conflict. Intractable positions and refusal to engage are business as usual for her. Jane is an incredibly safe pair of hands who will always deliver the results”.

She is also the author of the popular book on conflict management “How to Beat Bedlam in the Boardroom and Boredom in the Bedroom”.

Jane believes that mediation provides a unique opportunity for parties to step away from formal and adversarial modes of communication. Involving both lawyers and their clients in planning the mediation is of critical importance to her in creating the right environment to enable them to communicate and negotiate as effectively as possible.

She has been described as having the ability to communicate with individuals regardless of the scale and dynamics of the group and as having a very personal and professional manner. Clients have described her as having a ‘natural sensitivity and perception to the commercial and emotional needs of others’ and as being ‘very relaxed at handling and managing people. This makes it easy for her to overcome the barriers to communication at all levels and to facilitate problem-solving’.

Comments from other clients commend her as follows – ‘Her knowledge and understanding of individual styles is highly developed and adds greatly to her effectiveness’ and ‘ She shows patience and consideration whilst pulling few punches in sessions’.

Jane has mediated a wide variety of disputes including:

Commercial Disputes

Business and Partnership

Professional Negligence

Boardroom Disputes

Joint Ventures

Family Business and Trusts

Employment and Workplace

Medical Negligence

Personal Injury

Property and Construction

1983 – 1988 Solicitor with Taylor Garrett (now Taylor Wessing) central London

1988 – 1998 Raising children, Member of RSA Tomorrow’s Company Inquiry, conducting a major review of the way in which British businesses operate and behave and how this influences competitive position

1998 – 2000 Consultant to CEDR, London based Centre for Effective Dispute Resolution Leading and promoting the Millennium Accord, an international project designed to reduce the impact of millennium problems and disputes for organisations

2004 – 2014 Partner MATA (Mediation and Training Alternatives) Providing Mediation Training and Education internationally

1996 to date Independent Mediator, promoting the concept of Dispute Resolution and Conflict Management through Mediation, Design and Implementation of Conflict Management Systems and Training

CEDR accredited

Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators

Member of the International Mediation Institute

Lead Faculty on MATA’s Mediator Training Course

Jane is past Chair of the Board of Management of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (CIArb) and CIArb President for 2022.

She is a past director and board member of the Civil Mediation Council of England and Wales (CMC).

She is a fellow of the Professional Speaking Association of the UK and Ireland (PSA UKI).

She is also a member of the Advisory Committee to QUADRA in Italy.

Legal 500 2026:

An accredited commercial mediator since 1996, Jane Gunn  at IPOS Mediation ‘resolves the most difficult conflicts. Her calm demeanour, professional expertise, and empathetic approach are invaluable; while her ability to listen attentively to both sides' concerns makes all clients feel heard and respected’.  Mediating hundreds of disputes to date, Gunn is regularly sought out for her ability to handle complex and emotive cases, including matters concerning equality, diversity and inclusion, as well as race, gender, age and sex discrimination-related appointments. Gunn’s other areas of expertise range from commercial, business, boardroom and partnership disputes, to professional negligence, joint ventures, medical negligence, and employment and workplace issues. Gunn additionally covers personal injury, property, construction, and family business and trust-related disputes.

Legal 500 2025:

Jane Gunn is ’very open minded, gets deeply involved in her subjects, and constantly energises the parties in order to improve their relationships with each other’. Accredited as a commercial mediator in 1996, Gunn’s mediation track record encompasses commercial, business, partnership and boardroom disputes. He is experienced in professional negligence and conflicts concerning joint ventures, family businesses, trusts, and employment and workplace issues. Gunn’s specialism also covers diversity and inclusion, medical negligence, personal injury, and property and construction.

Legal 500 2024:

Jane Gunn ‘has an inner calm that is so deep that she can handle anything. She has so many ways of addressing situations that there is never a time that she is stuck. There is nothing she can’t handle‘. Particularly focused on highly complex and emotional matters, Gunn’s representative caseload includes mediating a workplace and disability discrimination-related matter, a personal injury case, a sexual discrimination claim, and boardroom and partnership conflicts.

Legal 500 2023:

Jane Gunn is ‘clear and precise, measured, and easy to communicate with‘. An experienced commercial mediator, Gunn mediates a wide variety of disputes involving commercial matters, business and partnership issues, boardroom clashes, joint ventures, and property and construction. Other notable areas include family businesses and trusts, employment and workplace matters, medical negligence and personal injury.

Legal 500 2022:

A full-time mediator with approximately 25 years experience in mediating commercial cases, Jane Gunn is 'calm, measured, and with a keen and critical eye to claims; and she has a genuine desire to help clients reach a resolution'. Accredited in 1996, Gunn has mediated hundreds of disputes to date; and she recently conducted several complex, high-profile mediations involving business, partnership, workplace and boardroom issues.

Legal 500 2021:

Jane Gunn is a full-time mediator with 24 years’ experience in mediating commercial cases. She has mediated hundreds of disputes, and is frequently chosen for complex cases. In 2019, Gunn mediated cases involving phishing fraud, partnership, workplace and boardroom issues. Her mediation clients include a global financial market organisation, a mid-sized law firm and a Leeds-based legal practice.

Legal 500 2020:

Jane Gunn has mediated hundreds of disputes; she is frequently chosen both for her extensive mediation experience and her ability to handle complex and emotional cases. Gunn’s mediation work has included business and partnership issues, boardroom disputes, joint ventures, property and construction, family business and trusts, employment and workplace matters, medical negligence and personal injury.

Legal 500 2019:

Jane Gunn is 'trusted by clients and is very approachable'. Gunn specialises in complex and highly emotive cases in  areas such as partnership, joint ventures, trusts and employment cases as well as medical negligence, and property and construction.

Chambers and Partners 2021:

Jane Gunn of IPOS Mediation possesses broad commercial mediation experience, including in boardroom, personal injury and employment disputes. She handles both public and private sector mediations.

Chambers and Partners 2020:

Jane Gunn is described by clients as a “creative and facilitative” mediator who is “good at listening actively, as well as setting the agenda and controlling the process.” Her commercial mediation practice includes expertise in boardroom, property and employment disputes, among others.

Who's Who Legal 2022:

"Jane Gunn is widely recognised as a leading expert “exceling across a myriad of mediations” with an “absolutely delightful disposition”. "Dubbed “a mediator with colossal experience"

Who's Who Legal 2019:

Recognised as a leading mediator.

Who's Who Legal 2018:

Jane Gunn is an “excellent” international mediator. She is considered “a huge name” in the field and is recognised for her “great expertise in family disputes”.

Simon Coops, Managing Director, Acuity Coaching Ltd:

"We have worked with Jane to resolve conflicts that looked to most stakeholders and observers as irreconcilable. What amazes me is the calm and composed way she deals with conflict. Intractable positions and refusal to engage are business as usual for her. Jane is an incredibly safe pair of hands who will always deliver the results."

Anthony Abrahams, Former Director General, Chartered Institute of Arbitrators:

"A safe pair of hands and firm in her approach, Jane gets to the heart of a dispute.  From that position she is adept at promoting solutions to and resolution of issues that may not be apparent at first.  Easy to talk to and an excellent listener Jane’s is the first name that comes up in discussions about effective and sympathetic mediators.  She is in the Premier League."

Graham Jones, Chief Executive. Professional Speaking Association:

"Jane has helped with a number of very tricky situations where mediation was vital in order to avoid sustained conflict. Her advice and guidance was excellent and she delivered her support in a professional yet compassionate way that helped defuse tension in both sides. Without her help I am certain that the disputes could have easily escalated. With her mediation a solution was found each time that satisfied all parties and which ensured that the problems were resolved much more quickly than might have otherwise been possible."

Christopher Cox, Partner, Borne, Martell Coulston, Solicitors LLP:

"I am a dispute settlement solicitor of 33 years call and a part time mediator for the last 15 years. For the last 10 years or so I have known Jane as a bright thought leader for mediation, an author on that subject and a leading mediator. She is an immensely likeable, independent and caring person. She is easy to work with and expresses herself very carefully. My clients really liked her.  In 2015 she acted as mediator in a case of mine; she is a first rate mediator. Through reason and polite and firm challenges she creates a calm environment of goodwill with reason, a smile and good humour. It helps everyone reflect on positive outcomes."

As President of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators and as a Speaker and Trainer, Jane has spoken at the following mediation related events in 2022

CIArb International Women’s Day March 2022

CIArb Brazil Branch meeting April 2022

CIArb Qatar and UAE April 2022

CIArb Webinar June 2022

Association of Northern Mediators Summer School June 2022

ICCA Edinburgh September 2022

CIArb Mediation Symposium Keynote Address October 2022

CIArb Kenya Inaugural Mediation Conference November 2022

CIArb International Congress November 2022

Barefoot Mediation Course – corporate training x 3

The Magic of Conflict – corporate training x 3

For 5 years Jane was Lead Faculty (together with David Richbell) of the CIArb 5-day Mediator Training Programme and continues to deliver Advanced Mediator Training modules. She is a regular speaker at mediation conferences and events and has presented at the CIArb Symposium on a number of occasions.

Jane has been invited to speak at the United Nations, the White House, the European Commission and the International Energy Agency and has fulfilled a number of other international speaking engagements. She has also addressed the U.S. Department of Commerce and Federal Trade Commission on the role of Alternative Dispute Resolution in the border-less on-line market place.

Jane has 2 published books and is in the process of writing a third on the mediation process

How to Beat Bedlam in the Boardroom and Boredom in the Bedroom

The Authority Guide to Conflict Resolution

As Google’s Senior Litigation Counsel, Dr Harjiner S Obhi, has said: “Jane Gunn has written an eye-opening, enlightening and empowering book for busy professionals. Act on her advice and it may improve your life forever.” She is also a regular contributor to business and legal magazines and journals and a radio and podcast guest.